Portable dry heat or steam bath



Feb. 3, 1970 L. A. BENNETT PORTABLE DRY HEAT OR STEAM BATH Filed Dec. 20. 1965 United States Patent Gce 3,492,678 PORTABLE DRY HEAT OR STEAM BATH Lawrence A. Bennett, 41 Vaudry\St., Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada Filed Dec. 20, 1965, Ser. N0. 514,840 Int. Cl. A6111 33/06; A47k 3 06 U.S. Cl. 4--164 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A portable heat bath which is completely collapsible to take up a minimum of room when not in use.

The present invention relates to a portable dry heat or steam bath cabinet, and more particularly, to such a cabinet of the collapsible type and designed for household use.

There already exist heat baths designed for household, but they are generally cumbersome in that they take considerable room; they are often not easy to get in and out of, especially for old or handicapped persons, and they also often do not have provisions for persons of different sizes.

The general object of the present invention resides therefore in a portable heat bath, which is collapsible and will take a minimum of room when not in use, for ease of storing the same; which is of sturdy construction, which can be set up in a minimuml of` time; which does not produce a cramped-in feeling on the person in the bath; which has an adjustable seat so that children, as Well as adults, may use the same bath, and which is so designed that it allows easy entrance for old and handicapped people.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a heat bath of the character described, which is easily slidable on the oor and the heat of which will not affect the floor.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a heat bath of the character described, in which the heating units are arranged so as to provide a good and substantially uniform circulation of the hot air inside the cabinet.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a bath of the character described, provided with means yforming a supply of disposable` tissue paper to cover the bottom, and eventually the seat, so as t render the bath hygienic for public use in hotels `and the like.

The foregoing and other important objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the following disclosure and by referring to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the bathin completely erected position;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the bath showing the top panels in open position and the back panel in partly collapsed position;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective View of the inside elements of the bath; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the bath, in fully collapsed condition, ready for storage.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like elements throughout, the heat bath in accordance with the invention comprises an elongated cabinet having a bottom 1, in the shape of a flat rectangular panel, and provided with rigidly interconnected and upstanding rear wall 2, front wall 3, and longitudinal side walls 4.

32,492,678 Patented Feb. 3, 1970 Walls 2, 3, and 4 are of substantially equal height; at slde panels 5 and 6 of a height less than the width of bottom 1 are hingedvto the top edge of side walls 4 by means of piano hinges 7, or the like. Panels 5 and 6 are substantially co-extensive with side walls 4 andare pivotable with repect to said side walls between an upright position and a collapsed position in which they extend in overlapped arrangement over the bottom 1.

A at rear or back panel 8 of a height less than the length of bottom 1, is hinged by means, for instance, of a piano hinge 9 to the top edge of rear Wall 2 land is pivotable with respect to the latter between an upright position in alignment with rear wall 2, and a collapsed position extending over the bottom 1 and under the collapsed side panels 5 and 6.

Rear panel 8 is provided at its top free edge with a llange 10 extending forwardly at right angles thereto. Flange 10 has a width substantially equal to the height of walls 2, 3, and 4 and has at its free outer edge a users neck-receiving notch 11. When panel 8 is in upright position, flange 10 extends forwardly substantially horizontally, and when panel 8 is in collapsed position, flange 10 is in substantially vertical position substantially perpendicular to bottom 1, with its free edge abutting against bottom 1.

Rear panel 8, in upright position, closes the back of the cabinet extending between the upright side panel 5 and 6, and is removably attached thereto by means of trunk catches 12, or the like.

Each side panel 5, 6 has an upper free edge consisting of a forward section 13, which is upwardly and rearwardly inclined and merges Iwith the top edge of the associated side wall 4 at the front of said panel 5 or 6, and `a rear section 14 which merges with the back of the inclined section 13 and is substantially parallel to the top edge of the associated side wall 4.

In the upright position of the side panels 5 and 6 and back panel 8, the rear section 14 of the top edges of the side panels is substantially flush with flange 10 and the latter terminates at approximately the center of the rear edge section 14.

The cabinet is closed by a plurality of top panels pivotally connected in series to one another and to front wall 3 to form an openable top closure for the cabinet. In the example shown, said top closure comprises top panels 15, 16, and 17, the front and middle panels 15 and 16 being hinged together by piano hinge 18 .and have a total length such that the piano hinge connection 19 between the middle top panel 16 and the rear top panel 17 will lie substantially over the junction of the forward and rearward top edge sections 13 and 14 of the side panels 5 and 6, in the upright position of the latter and in the closed position of the series of top panels.

The front top panel 15 is hinged to the top edge of front wall 3 by means of a piano hinge and slightly protrudes forwardly of said front wall in the closed position of the top panel series. In this latter position, side anges 20, secured to the lateral edges of the top panels 15, 16, and 17, overlap the top marginal portions of the side panels 5 and 6, as shown in FIGURE l.

Mating trunk catches 21 are secured to the side flanges 20 and the side walls 4, to thereby removably attach the top panels directly to the side walls 4 in the collapsed position of the cabinet.

Wires 22 are secured to the inside of sidewall 4 and to the inside of side flange 20 of the forward top panel 15 to maintain the latter in open upright position, as shown in FIGURE 2.

Bottom 1 is provided with short legs 23 at the four corners of the cabinet to space the bottom from the floor 3 and thereby provide an air space, acting as insulation for the floor.

The side panel 6 is provided with a small door 25, hung in a notch made in said side panel, by means of hinges 26.

A seat 27 is disposed inside the cabinet with its back 28 against the back panel 8, so that the user seated therein will face towards the front of the cabinet and may stretch his legs up to practically the front wall 3.

In the seated position of the user, the neck of the latter passes through the neck-receiving notch 11 of flange 1,0 and the mating neck-receiving notch 29, made at the free edge of rear top panel 17, the latter, in the closed position of the series of top panels, forming a continuation of flange 10.

The seat 27 and back 28 are preferably made of a plurality of spaced slats to enable air circulation therebetween. The back 28 is removably hooked to back panel 8. Seat 27 is supported at an adjusted height by inserting the back thereof in the ydesired space between the slats of back 28.

Electric heaters, of any suitable conventional construction, are disposed, as shown at 30, against each side wall 4, just forwardly of seat 27, and they are covered by inclined deflector panels 31 secured to the side wall 4 and to the bottom 1 in spaced relationship therewith, so as to provide for the circulation of air, as shown -by the arrows g2. These deflectors serve also as a protector for the eet.

The heaters 30 are preferably controlled by a thermostat 33 secured to the back wall 2 adjacent the seat and having a knob for adjusting the temperature.

Preferably, a roll of paper toweling 34 is mounted on bottom 1, adjacent front wall 3 across the cabinet, so that a length of paper 35 can be unrolled and laid on vbottom 1 forwardly of the seat. This paper can be thrown out after use of the bath by one person.

lIn the erected position of the cabinet, as shown in FIG- URE l, the side panels 5, 6 and rear panel 8 are in upright position and the series of top panels 15, 16, 17 rest on top of the side panels and close the cabinet, except for the circular opening formed by notches 11 and 29 of flange 10 and rear top panel 17 respectively.

To open the cabinet, the top panels are pushed out and folded one with respect to the other, and the front top panel 15 takes a substantially upright position, as shown in FIGURE 2, and the user can then very easily step in or out of the cabinet `by opening side door 25 for more convenience, or by simply walking over side panel or To collapse the cabinet, starting from the position shown in FIGURE '2, seat 27 and back 28 are unhooked and laid on bottom 1 and the rear panel is folded forwardly until its flange abuts against bottom 1. Then the side panels 5 and 6 are folded inwardly over the rear panel in overlapped position. Finally, the series of top panels are extended over the folded side panels such that side flanges 20 overlap the top edges of the side walls 4, and the notched free edge of top panel 17 overlies the free edge of rear wall 2, as shown in FIGUR-E 4. The series of top panels are secured in said position by means of the catches 21. The collapsed cabinet forms a flat rectangular box, as shown in FIGURE 4, which can be easily stood on end and laid against a wall, as shown by arrow 36, or placed underneath a bed or the like.

Preferably, the back wall 2 is provided with short legs 37, used for standing the cabinet on end.

The entire unit is preferably made of plywood, or plastic sheet material, rather than metal, -since metal is extremely hot Ato the touch. Normally, the unit will be used with dry heat, such as provided by the electric heaters 30; but, if desired, a source of steam may be added, such as provided by a household vaporizer `which may be placed inside the cabinet. After use, the moisture 0l' COHdQDaQIl deposited on the Walls may be quickly 4 eliminated by simply leaving on the two heaters 30 for a short period.

The heaters have such a capacity that they can normally heat the cabinet up to a temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

lf desired, the cabinet may be made shorter such that a person will simply sit inside with her legs upright without stretching the same. In this case, the front portion of the cabinet shown in FIGURE 1 will be shortened to approximately the level of the hinge 18 between the middle and front top panels 15 and 16.

What I claim is:

1. A portable collapsible heat bath comprising a cabinet defined by a bottom, rear and front walls and longitudinal side walls rigid with said bottom, said walls of substantially equal height, flat side panels of a height less than the width of said bottom, hinged to said side walls, substantially co-extensive therewith and pivotable relative to the same between an upright position and a collapsed position in which they extend in overlapped arrangement over said bottom between said side walls, each side panel having an upper free edge consisting of a forward section which is upwardly and rearwardly inclined, and merges with the top edge of the associated side wall at the front of said panel, and a rear section whicllmerges with the back of said inclined section and is substantially parallel to the top edge of the associated side wall, a flat rear panel of a height less than the length of said bottom and hinged to said rear wall, said rear panel having a flange rigid with the outer free edge thereof and extending at right angles thereto, said flange having a width substantially equal to the height of said walls and having at its free outer edge a users neck-receiving notch, said rear panel pivotable relative to said rear wall between an upright position with said flange extending horizontally forwardly, and a collapsed position over said bottom and under said collapsed side panels with said flange substantially perpendicular to said bottom and with the free outer edge of said flange in direct contact with said bottom, and a plurality of top panels pivotally connected in series to one another and to said front wall to form an openable top closure for said cabinet, the outermost panel of the series having at its free outer edge a users neck-receiving notch adapted to register with the notch of said flange in the cabinet-closing position of said top panels, said top panels, in said last-named position, overlying and abutting the free edges of said side panels, said outer free edge of said outermost panel overlying the top edge of said rear wall in the collapsed condition of said cabinet, said Walls, panels and flange being substantially planar rigid members.

2. A bath as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said side panels has a door hinged therein and extending to the top edge of said side panel.

3. A bath as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top panels have side flanges overlapping the top marginal portion of said side panels in the cabinet-closing position of said top panels, said top panels in the collapsed position of said cabinet having their `flanges overlapping directly the top edges of the side walls of said cabinet.

4. A bath as claimed in claim 1, further including electric heating units disposed within said cabinet adjacent said side walls and not higher than said side walls, and inclined deflector panels overlying said heating units and spaced from said bottom and said side walls to allow air circulation underneath said deflector units and along said bottom and said side walls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 154,602 9/1874 Gee 4--164 195,753 10/1877 Ellis 4-164 463,490 ll/1891 Crank 4-164 (Other references on following page) 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Andruss 4-164 Buck 4164 Crank 4-164 Friedlander 4-164 Rouse 4-247 Paynter 4-160 Wahl 4-164 Kaiser 4-161 Joy 4-160 Kuoppamaki et a1. 4-160 6 FOREIGN PATENTS 5,140 12/1891 Great Britain. 5,754 1/1888 Great Britain. 15,020 3/1888 Great Britain. 5 220,327 7/ 1908 Germany. 822,880 11/1951 Germany. 41,393 6/1915 Sweden.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner 10 D. B. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner 

